common cause - ActionAid

Sponsorship gives 

her a helping hand, 

not a handout. 

Photograph for representation only: Jeremy Jackson-Sytner, Nepal. 

common 

cause 

the magazine for supporters of 

www.actionaid.org.uk 

SUMMER 2004 

SPECIAL REPORT: A HELPING 

HAND FOR INDIA’S HOMELESS 

FIRST PERSON: MEETING THE 

COMMUNITY I SUPPORT 

NEW GLOBAL LINKS WEBSITE 

A Registered charity no: 274467 

Please send me further details about sponsoring a child, 

or call 01460 23 80 80. 

I’m interested in sponsoring in: 

■ Africa ■ Asia ■ Where need is greatest 

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms 

Address 

Postcode 

Tel (Day) 

(Eve) 

I can’t sponsor a child now, but enclose a gift of: 

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activities. If you do not wish to receive this information, please tick this box ■. 

Make cheques / POs payable to ActionAid, and send to: 

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Chard, Somerset TA20 1BR 

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Any hope of ending poverty in the developing world 

lies in long term solutions, not short term fixes. And 

sponsorship has long been recognised as a viable way of 

giving children like Maya a future. 

By sponsoring a child you’ll be providing access to safe 

clean water, healthcare and education. These basics 

which we take for granted are vital to ensure Maya and 

her community become self sufficient. 

You’ll soon notice the difference that you’ll make in 

a child’s community through our supporter magazine 

Common Cause, regular updates from local fieldworkers 

and messages from the child you sponsor. 

Start investing in Maya’s future, get in touch with 

ActionAid today. In return, we’ll send you an 

information pack with a photograph of a child awaiting 

your sponsorship. All you have to do now is complete 

and return the coupon or call us today. 

Afghanistan: 

building bridges 

and mending lives

CONTENTS 03 

✃ 

Please send me further information about Will Aid and details of participating solicitors in my area 

Name (Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms) 

Address 

You may contact me by email. My address is 

Tel (day) 

Supporter reference no. 

When you make your Will, you have a unique opportunity to protect your 

loved ones for the future – and remember the causes that are close to 

your heart, like ActionAid. 

This November, take advantage of Will Aid and have a basic Will drawn 

up by a Solicitor for free. You can choose to make a donation to the Will 

Aid charities which include ActionAid. Since it began in 1998, Will Aid 

has raised over £4 million for charity. 

To find your nearest participating solicitor, 

call 0870 6060 239, visit www.willaid.org.uk 

or return the coupon below. 

ActionAid • British Red Cross • Christian Aid • Help the Aged • NSPCC • Save the Children • SCIAF • Sight Savers International • Trócaire 

Postcode 

Tel (eve) 

Will Aid will not pass your details on to any other organisation. 

ActionAid is a registered charity, No. 274467 

AROUND THE WORLD 

Ethiopian radio is a winner 

An ActionAid-supported Ethiopian radio programme, Yibekal (meaning ‘it is 

enough’ in Amharic), has been announced as a winner of the World Bank’s 

Development Marketplace Global Competition, an initiative designed to find 

innovative new ways to fight HIV/AIDS. The competition attracted more than 2,700 

submissions, of which less than 50 won awards. 

Yibekal broadcasts information and practical advice on HIV/AIDS three times a 

week. It is the only programme in Ethiopia to consistently deal with the epidemic, 

and has proved extremely popular. One slot, towards marriage, helps people living 

with the virus meet others. Last year alone towards marriage received over 4,000 

letters of thanks and satisfaction. 

The World Bank award, which included a grant of US$90,000, means that the 

programme can expand from FM to shortwave. As a result, Yibekal can now 

broadcast to the entire country, giving thousands more people access to 

information and services they would otherwise miss out on. 

Lessons learned in Pakistan 

ActionAid Pakistan recently successfully campaigned to get schools reopened in 

the remote area of Johi. All local schools were closed more than seven years ago 

through lack of funds, and most had been converted for other uses over time. 

Children were left with nowhere to learn, and most ended up working in the fields 

or in menial jobs such as rope-making. 

When the campaign began, many young people immediately came forward as 

volunteer teachers. The community donated space, often one-room straw huts, to 

use as classrooms. Along with 

our partners, we lobbied local 

government to repossess the 

original school buildings. It 

was decided that, together 

with the community, we would 

help run the schools and 

provide for their maintenance, 

teachers’ salaries and text 

books. The education 

department took over the 

supervision of the schools, and 

is providing funding for exams 

and scholarships. 

The partnership has been a 

great success, and by 

February this year 27 schools 

had been reopened, allowing 

over 1,000 children a renewed 

chance of education. 

A successful 

campaign by 

ActionAid means 

that children in 

a remote area of 

Pakistan now have 

renewed access 

to education. 

JENNY MATTHEWS/NETWORK/ACTIONAID UK 

04 news 

A licence to kill… poverty 

The bigger picture: demanding fair aid 

New funding for £1 million 

education programme 

Mark Thomas: how important 

is campaigning? 

08 special report 

A helping hand for India’s homeless 

10 cover story 

Afghanistan: building bridges 

and mending lives 

14 first person 

Meeting the community I support 

15 lick child poverty 

16 fundraising 

18 global links 

Brand new free website for 

kids and teachers 

19 miscellaneous 

common 

cause 

Chataway House 

Leach Road 

Chard 

Somerset TA20 1FR 

United Kingdom 

Tel: 01460 23 8000 

Fax: 01460 67191 

email: 

commoncause@actionaid.org.uk 

website: www.actionaid.org.uk 

No. 40 2004 

ISSN 0967 0130 

common cause is a trademark 

of ActionAid 

ActionAid is a registered charity 

(number 274467) and a 

company limited by guarantee 

registered in England and Wales 

(number 1295174). 

Edited by Stephanie Ross 

Produced by ActionAid’s Design and 

Publications Department 

Designed by www.wave.coop 

Printed by Avenue Printing 

Next issue: Autumn 2004 

Advertising enquiries: 

Imelda McGuigan 020 7561 7561 

The views expressed in 

common cause are not 

necessarily those of ActionAid. 

common cause is printed on 

100% recycled paper using 

vegetable based inks. 

Cover photo: 

Jenny Matthews/Network/ActionAid UK 

To join the fight against poverty, please return the completed coupon to: 

Will Aid, FREEPOST SWB11047, Crewkerne, Somerset TA18 7ZB 

LG137 

www.actionaid.org.uk common cause SUMMER 2004

04 NEWS 

NEWS 05 

ActionAid 

demands 

licence to 

kill… poverty 

ActionAid is continuing to put pressure on the UK 

government to fulfil its 30-year-old promise to 

spend 0.7% of the UK’s wealth on overseas aid by 

2008. Currently, the UK has pledged to spend only 

0.4% by 2006, less than many other countries with 

smaller national incomes. 

Two hundred and ninety British charities, with 

three million supporters among them, are backing 

the campaign. If successful, it is estimated that an 

extra one and a half million people would escape 

poverty in the year 2008 alone. 

You can help put pressure on the 

government by emailing Gordon Brown – 

visit www.actionaid.org.uk/007 to find out more. 

£1 million funding for 

ActionAid to educate 

KATE STANWORTH/BOND 0.7 CAMPAIGN 

The latest campaign was launched on 30 March with a definitive James Bond 

theme. Our very own 007s, sporting Gordon Brown masks, handed over their 

‘Licence to kill poverty’ manifesto outside the Treasury in London, along with 

demands that Gordon Brown announce a timetable to reach 0.7% by 2008. 

SOPHIA EVANS/ACTIONAID UK 

ActionAid is set to launch education 

projects worth £1 million in eight countries, 

after winning a European Community grant 

to cover two-thirds of the cost. The 

remainder of the money will be raised from 

private sources including child sponsorship. 

The EC’s commitment of £686,000 is a 

resounding endorsement of our distinctive 

approach to education, which regards 

community involvement as the key to success. 

David Archer, ActionAid’s head of 

international education, said: “All the 

projects will enable poor people to have a 

greater say in what happens in their schools 

and the kind of education their children get.” 

In Brazil, Ethiopia and Guatemala, we will 

use the new funding to support alliances of 

local organisations that are driving education 

reform. Projects in Nepal and Burundi will 

work to make schools more accountable to 

the communities they serve. In Laos, 

Vietnam and Liberia, the focus will be on 

adult education and empowerment, using 

the award-winning Reflect approach. 

Young and 

talented? 

We are currently looking for 

up-and-coming writers to provide 

us with inspired and passionate 

articles on a variety of subjects. 

Our young journalists have been 

quoted by the Guardian and the 

BBC, and have reported on a huge 

range of issues, from unfair trade 

rules, to broken government 

promises on HIV/AIDS spending, 

to the power of protest at 

Reading festival. 

If you are (or you know) 

someone aged 16-24, who wants 

to take advantage of a fantastic 

offer to gain valuable experience, 

please email us on 

actionzone@actionaid.org.uk, 

quoting reference ‘CCAZ writers’. 

You never know, your article 

could be in the next issue of 

Common Cause! 

A helping hand 

Join us in our fight to help some of the world’s poorest children by 

giving up a little of your time this autumn. As part of Lick child poverty 

ActionAid Week, we are running house-to-house collections from 

September 17 to October 3, giving you plenty of time to get involved. 

House-to-house remains an excellent way to help out on your own 

terms – you choose how much time you put in and how much money 

you want to raise. 

We will send you everything you need to organise your collection, 

so it couldn’t be simpler, and the vital income raised will make a huge 

difference to the children we work with across the world. 

To be part of our nationwide collections, please call 01460 238000 

or email lcp@actionaid.org.uk. For more information and ideas 

about getting involved in our Lick child poverty ActionAid Week, 

please see page 15. 

MARK HENLEY/PANOS PICTURES 

The bigger picture 

Demanding fair aid 

ActionAid is launching a brand new campaign 

focusing on the unfair conditions that often 

accompany financial aid to poor countries. 

Controversially, institutions such as the World Bank 

and the International Monetary Fund often attach 

demands for privatisation of services like water and 

electricity in return for financial assistance. In many 

cases this leads to massive social unrest. 

These conditions were originally devised as a way 

to ensure donor money was being used effectively. 

But over time they have become more and more 

prescriptive, and often go against the wishes and 

needs of the country receiving the aid. 

In Ghana, for example, massive public opposition 

has held up World Bank plans for the privatisation of 

the urban water system, resulting in the Bank and 

other donors withholding US$100 million of funds. 

In India, donor conditions have been crucial in 

driving electricity privatisation in the states of Orissa 

and Andhra Pradesh. In both cases, the government 

had to agree to privatisation before they could access 

loans worth hundreds of millions of dollars. 

A new report by ActionAid, Money talks, 

uncovers many more examples of poor countries 

being pressured into accepting conditions tied to 

loans that often do more harm than good. To read 

the report, or for more information on the 

accompanying campaign, please visit 

www.actionaid.org.uk/moneytalks. 

ACTIONAID UK 

common cause SUMMER 2004 www.actionaid.org.uk 


06 NEWS 

Citizen’s jury condemns 

Brazilian GM 

In March ActionAid held the latest and largest of its citizens’ 

juries in Brazil, to put on trial the illegal introduction of GM 

crops in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. 

More than 3,000 landless and small-scale farmers, activists, 

parliamentarians and journalists gathered to form a jury with 

potent symbolic and political clout. The aim is to empower 

those most affected by food insecurity and give a voice to 

those, such as poor Brazilian farmers, who have traditionally 

been overlooked by those in power. 

The jury convened in Porto Alegre after the Brazilian 

government and multinational seed company Monsanto 

ignored both environmental law and a legal ruling by 

introducing a pesticide-resistant soybean to the southern state. 

The jury unanimously decided that there is insufficient 

evidence to prove that GM crops would not harm the 

environment or human health. They also decided there is not 

enough public information available about GM crops – and 

until there is, their introduction should be put on hold. 

ANDRE TELLES/ACTIONAID BRAZIL 

Poor farmers and 

citizens in Brazil 

made their feelings 

clear about GM in the 

latest of our citizen’s 

juries to be held in 

the country. 

CAMPAIGNS 

Comedian and activist Mark Thomas recently 

visited Kerala, India, to see ActionAid's work with 

villagers who have been protesting against Coca 

Cola for over two years. The company is accused 

of using up tens of thousands of litres of local 

water, leaving villagers with acute shortages and 

environmental contamination. Common Cause 

asked Mark why campaigns like this are so vital. 

MARTIN HERRING 

ActionAfrica 

16-25 SEPTEMBER 2005 

Introducing our brand new experience of a lifetime – 

Walk in the footsteps of the Maasai 

The Rift Valley, Tanzania, Africa 

LIBA TAYLOR/ACTIONAID UK 

CATHERINE SELLING 


ANDREW AITCHESON/ACTIONAID UK 

Ghanaian flavour for 

coffee break launch 

This year’s 24 hour coffee break was launched in style 

with a celebration at the Ghanaian High Commission in 

London on 12 March. Broadcaster Lisa I’Anson, herself an 

ActionAid child sponsor, was our host for the evening. 

Guests included Ghanaian celebrities, business people, MPs 

and ActionAid supporters. 

Speakers informed guests of the importance of supporting 

poor farmers by raising funds and campaigning against 

international trade rules. Two cocoa farmers from the 

Kuapa Kokoo cooperative in Ghana, Georgina Kwaw and 

Elizabeth Adjei, explained the difference in their lives as a 

result of working within a cooperative and gaining a fair 

price for their produce. 

To see just how successful you helped us make this 

year’s 24 hour coffee break, please turn to page 16. 

New web address 

As part of our internationalisation process, the 

website address for ActionAid UK has changed to 

www.actionaid.org.uk. Our international site can 

now be found at www.actionaid.org. Please update 

your bookmarks accordingly. 

Georgina Kwaw and 

Elizabeth Adjei, cocoa 

farmers from Ghana, 

were joined by singer 

Mica Paris and 

broadcaster Lisa I’Anson 

for this year’s 24 hour 

coffee break launch at 

the Ghanaian 

High Commission 

in London. 

How important is campaigning? 

People don’t have a choice about whether they 

campaign or not. I genuinely believe that. When actions 

are taken in your name, like arms deals or globalisation, 

you have to stand up for yourself. That’s what 

democracy should be, and ticking a box once every 

four years just isn’t enough to give people a voice. 

Why Coca Cola? 

Because it was stunningly obvious what was going on. 

Remember these are people who have practically 

nothing, and they are being forced to fight for a basic 

necessity like water. Water is not a commodity; it’s a 

basic human right. It is an incredible fight they are 

putting up. 

What was it like meeting 

the protestors? 

It was very moving. They are the poorest of the poor, 

and yet they are standing up to this giant of a 

company. It was absolutely inspiring. 

What do you plan to do with 

the Coca Cola material? 

We will be taking it on the road, campaigning, doing 

live shows. I want people to get involved in this – it’s 

not just about India, it’s happening all over the world. 

People need to know about this. 

UPDATE: 

On March 15 the Indian government issued a 

court order banning Coca Cola from using 

local groundwater until the monsoon rains fall 

in June. For the latest developments, visit 

www.actionaid.org.uk. 

Join the famous Maasai warriors on a trip through a landscape rich in acacia 

trees, savannah grasslands and volcanoes, on a once in a lifetime journey to 

the spectacular Ngorongoro crater. Expect the company of antelopes, zebras 

and giraffes as you undertake this demanding, yet infinitely rewarding, trek. 

Places are limited so call 01460 23 8047 now for a free information pack, or 

email actionadventures@actionaid.org.uk. 

ALSO AVAILABLE: 

ACTION CHINA TREK 

2-10 October 2004 

(only one month left 

to register!) 

HIKE HADRIAN’S WALL 

5-10 August 2004 

ACTION PERU 

TREK 

5-14 May 2005 

TIBET TREK 

15-24 May 2005 

OTHER CHALLENGES FOR 2005: 

RIDE THE LAND OF THE RAJ 

22 OCTOBER-1 NOVEMBER 2005 

MONGOLIA CAMEL CHALLENGE 


TREK THE THREE VOLCANOES: 

MOUNT ETNA, VESUVIUS AND STROMBOLI 


TREK CUBA 

4-13 MARCH 2005 

HAVANA-TRINIDAD BIKE RIDE 

4-13 NOVEMBER 2005 

And, if you still haven’t found what you are looking 

for, we work with a tour operator* that offers more 

than 30 challenges in various destinations around 

the world throughout the year. Call 01460 23 8047, 

or email actionadventures@actionaid.org.uk for an 

information pack. 


*ACTIONAID ONLY WORKS WITH TOUR OPERATORS THAT EMPLOY LOCAL 

PEOPLE AND GUARANTEE PROTECTION TO THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT. 


08 SPECIAL REPORT 

SPECIAL REPORT 09 

A helping hand 

for India’s homeless 

FOR ONCE WE CAN 

SLEEP IN CALM AND 

SAFETY... NOW WE FINALLY 

HAVE A HOME 

ActionAid India has been working 

hard to address one of the country’s 

biggest problems: homelessness. 

But, with a little determination and a 

lot of effort, we are making headway, 

says KATHERINE HAYWOOD. 

PHOTO: KALPESH LATHIGRA/NB PICTURES/ACTIONAID UK 

In Lucknow, the capital of the north Indian state of Uttar 

Pradesh, at least 600 homeless people died as a result of the 

harsh winter of 2002/03. This winter there was a dramatic 

decrease in the number of deaths due, in part, to ActionAid 

and partners’ success at forcing the state government to 

open up unused public buildings as night shelters. 

The campaign was based on the work of Dr Indu Prakash, 

the coordinator of ActionAid’s national homeless policy. Dr 

Prakash has been highly successful in opening up 

government buildings as shelters in Delhi, as part of his work 

with street children. This winter the work was rolled out to 

four new cities, one of which was Lucknow. 

Firstly, local organisations identified several vacant 

government buildings in areas where hundreds of homeless 

people were sleeping rough. Next, after vigorous lobbying by 

ActionAid, the municipal commissioner agreed to open six 

schools and disused buildings that had been lying vacant for 

up to ten years. ActionAid provided the homes with sheets, 

blankets, a caretaker and basic medical facilities. 

Residents soon flooded in. Almost all of them are migrant 

daily wage labourers in construction work and other physical 

activities, with families in the surrounding villages to support. 

Most have been homeless all of their adult lives, returning to 

their villages once a month. 

They earn as little as Rs 50 (65p) a day and, on average, 

get only 15 days of work a month. Due to the availability of 

cheap labour, they are often forced to work for under the 

minimum wage. Even so, their employers often refuse to pay. 

It is this type of employment insecurity and exploitation that 

the organisers of the shelters want to help combat. ActionAid’s 

Hanumant Rawat, Lucknow regional manager, says, “We 

organised a spontaneous campaign during 2002/03 and 

distributed blankets to those on the streets, but we realised 

this could never be a long term solution. We wanted to provide 

the homeless with more permanent shelter.” 

It has been a long battle – many of the shelters are still not 

perfect. Some have irregular water supplies or drainage 

problems. Others have structural deficiencies. Some people 

also found that the shelter isolated them from potential 

employers who pick daily wage labourers off the street. 

These are all problems that ActionAid hopes to address – 

but there is a general feeling that a crucial step has been 

ACTIONAID IS 

DETERMINED TO KEEP 

THE REMAINING FOUR 

SHELTERS IN LUCKNOW 

OPEN, AND EXTEND 

THEIR OPENING HOURS 

TO THE DAYTIME. THE 

RESIDENTS THEMSELVES 

SAY THEY HAVE NO 

PLANS TO MOVE 

OUR BIGGEST 

ACHIEVEMENT WAS 

INSISTING THAT THE 

HOMELESS THEMSELVES 

WERE AT THE FOREFRONT 

OF THIS CAMPAIGN. THEY 

RUN THE SHELTERS AND 

SET THE AGENDA 

made. Despite the onset of warm weather, the shelters are 

growing in popularity, with new arrivals each week. 

Yet, despite these obvious successes, the state 

government has started to close the shelters now the winter 

months are over. 

When asked about the closures, one local assistant district 

magistrate said, “We don’t see (the shelters) as a permanent 

solution.” He went on to claim that: “…most of the time these 

people like sleeping under the open sky”. 

But ActionAid is determined to keep the remaining four 

shelters in Lucknow open, and extend their opening hours to 

the daytime. The residents themselves say they have no plans 

to move. They like the newfound community that the shelters 

provide. “We enjoy living collectively,” says Dinesh, 47, from 

the Shramik Seva Ashram shelter. “Everyone helps each other 

out, like with money or advice. We are like a family.” 

And, at a time when religious conflict and hostility is on the 

increase in India, the shelters have managed to bridge 

divides. Muhammed Israel, 42, a Muslim in a predominantly 

Hindu shelter, says, “I feel completely welcome here. We 

even celebrate our religious festivals together.” 

Sandeep Khare, from local organisation Vigyan (which runs 

three of the shelters), wants to build on the community spirit 

the homeless shelters have created. “As a group, those living 

in the shelters are now more able to move forward on issues 

that affect their lives,” he says. 

Sandeep is working on mobilising the residents to demand 

the necessary renovation work on the buildings. It is early 

days yet, but the men of the shelters are already working as 

a group. In some shelters they have pooled their money for 

purchasing necessary communal items. Others have offered 

their skills and time to the renovations. 

“Our biggest achievement,” says Sandeep, “was insisting 

that the homeless themselves were at the forefront of this 

campaign. They run the shelters and set the agenda.” 

And it certainly seems to be working. “For once we can 

sleep in calm and safety,” says Dinesh. “Now we finally have 

a home.” 

If you would like to support our work 

in India, please visit www.actionaid.org.uk, 

call 01460 23 8000 or email 

commoncause@actionaid.org.uk quoting 

your supporter number or postcode. 



10 COVER STORY 

COVER STORY 11 

Afghanistan: 

building bridges 

and mending lives 

Afghanistan’s recent history has seen oppressive 

leadership, war and natural disasters adding to the 

problems of an already hugely impoverished country. 

The strict Taliban regime was especially harsh for 

women, robbing them of the little freedom they had. 

Leadership may have changed, but for women living 

in rural areas, the difference to their lives is often 

negligible. Since 2002, ActionAid has been working to 

help these women overcome the hardships they face. 

Common Cause investigates the difference it has 

made to their lives. 

TEXT: CHRISTINE AZIZ 

PHOTOS: JENNY MATTHEWS/NETWORK/ACTIONAID UK 

THE CAREFUL MAKING OF 

THESE CHARTS BY DAASIL’S 

WOMEN, MANY OF WHOM HAVE 

NEVER HELD A PENCIL BEFORE, 

HAS BROUGHT ABOUT DEEP 

CHANGES THEY NEVER 

DREAMED POSSIBLE 

Daasil is a treacherous, bone shaking five-hour 

drive away from the capital of the northern region, 

Mazar-e-Sharif. The route cuts through some of 

Afghanistan’s most dramatic scenery. We drive 

through deep, fast-flowing rivers and towering 

gorges. There is a sprinkling of snow on the 

ground, and much of the wayside is littered with 

large red-painted stones – a warning of unexploded 

mines – as we arrive at the nearby ActionAid office 

in the northern district of Khuran Wa Sarbagh. 

In the village, a group of animated women and 

children are sitting on the earth floor of a 

neighbour’s house looking at a series of charts 

pinned to a wall. “That’s where we live,” says one 

of the women proudly as she points at one of the 

charts showing a simply drawn map of Daasil. In 

one glance it shows the path of the village’s 

aquamarine river, the routes of its rough earth 

roads, its outlying fields of walnut, almond, plum 

and willow trees, the cemetery made bigger than 

it should be by years of civil conflict and war. 

But more than that, it also shows the distribution 

of wealth throughout the village, identifying the 

richest and the poorest of its citizens, its widows 

and its disabled. 



12 COVER STORY 

COVER STORY 13 

Any visitor entering the room could be forgiven for 

thinking that this is a class of some sort – but it is much 

more than that. The careful making of these charts by 

Daasil’s women, many of whom have never held a pencil 

before, has brought about deep changes that have 

improved and empowered their lives. The charts are the 

first steps in an ActionAid programme that has brought 

villagers together to work for community changes they 

never dreamed possible. 

Since 2003 ActionAid has been carrying out 

developmental activities in three districts of northern 

Afghanistan. The spearhead of our rural programme in 

the region is a community-based plan for change, a 

process that enables villagers to discover, prioritise and 

put into action the changes that will improve their lives. 

ActionAid staff, including locally employed ‘social 

mobilisers’, work directly in the villages, providing 

support and encouragement and recruiting organisations 

to help fund and partner the various projects. The 

process starts with men and women separately 

researching their own village to work out exactly what 

needs to be changed. They pinpoint the poorest in the 

community and highlight the inequalities between males 

and females. They then turn their findings into drawings 

on charts, and these are constantly referred to as they 

begin to make changes. 

“Before ActionAid came we knew each other, but not 

well. It’s hard for women to gather together and we had 

to get permission from the men. For a year we were 

going into the mountains and sitting there during the war, 

hiding in caves together, but we still didn’t know each 

other’s thoughts. We are trying our best to do something 

and solve our own problems. We are very happy now 

and have improved our lives. The men are very surprised 

that we have made decisions for ourselves,” says Bibi, 

suddenly slapping her chest. “I now have the power to 

speak. I am not afraid any more to say what I think and if 

there are any literacy courses coming here I will do 

them…even though I am 45 and old.” Her companions 

laugh and chorus in support of their friend. 

In nearby Abashi village, an ActionAid income 

regeneration programme is underway as part of its 

change plan. Nasima Shorkhoki, 40, proudly shows off 

the 20 chickens remaining from the 250 she has 

managed to raise with the help of an incubator that she 

shares with three other families. “I am a widow with four 

children and had no money. Now I am selling the 

chickens to the villagers. Before, my brother and 

relatives helped me. My husband died because he was 

sick and we didn’t have the money for a doctor.” 

On a veranda in the same house, another Bibi busies 

herself monitoring the progress of a group of women 

weaving a brightly coloured carpet. There are ten 

families in the village weaving for $2 a day – a lot of 

money for rural Afghanistan. “We are the poorest 

families and we are selling the carpets and buying the 

wool,” Bibi explains, adding that it takes l5 days to 

make one carpet. A widow and mother of seven 

children, she is happy with the arrangement. “The next 

step is for me to get a cow. I want a big one with plenty 

of milk.” 

ONE ROOM IS SO PACKED 

WITH WOMEN AND CHILDREN IT’S 

DIFFICULT FOR THE DOCTORS TO 

SQUEEZE THROUGH TO GIVE 

THEIR HEALTH EDUCATION 

PRESENTATION. THE DOCTORS’ 

VISIT IS A LONG HELD DREAM FOR 

THE WOMEN AND THEY CAN’T 

HIDE THEIR EXCITEMENT 

Nasima wants to say that even though she is a widow 

she can marry again. “What do you want a husband 

for?” asks Zakiya, who is about 80 years old. “I have no 

teeth and nothing else left for a man!” Nasima ignores 

her and wants to show us the incubator that hatches her 

eggs in a room behind the weaving loom. It’s hard not to 

notice the huge gaping hole in the roof. “Bomb,” she 

points, “boom, boom,” and everyone laughs. 

In the nearby village of Abdul Malik, ActionAid’s three 

female doctors from the mobile health team are arriving 

at a small house, where one room is so packed with 

women and children it’s difficult for the doctors to 

squeeze through to give their health education 

presentation. The doctors’ visit is a long held dream for 

the women and they can’t hide their excitement. On a 

verandah outside the nearby mosque, 40 men and boys 

are listening attentively to their first health education 

class given by Dr Rashid, the team’s only male doctor. 

The excited, chattering voices of the women can be 

heard through the sycamore trees. 

In Afghanistan half a million women die each year 

from pregnancy-related complications, the causes of 

which are exacerbated by poverty and isolation. The 

maternal mortality rate is the second highest in the 

world, and diarrhoeal and acute respiratory infections 

cause an estimated 42% of childhood deaths. 

Not surprisingly, every village participating in 

ActionAid’s programme for change ranks healthcare as a 

priority need, although it is men and boys who are given 

priority when it comes to urgent medical treatment. 

Charts drawn up by the men and women show that if 

men or boys are acutely sick they are more likely to be 

transported to the nearest town to see a doctor. Women 

and girls tend not to be taken to see a doctor until it is 

generally too late to save them. 

One woman in a red scarf interrupts: “We need a 

clinic especially for the women giving birth,” she says. 

“My daughter had problems and wouldn’t stop bleeding 

after her baby was born. We took her to town and the 

doctor said there was no way she would stop bleeding. 

We borrowed the money to see him.” 

Looking at the eager crowd of women in the tiny 

room, it’s surprising to hear from health programme 

leader, Dr Manjusha Gupta, that, at first, gathering the 

women together in each village was an enormous 

obstacle. “Either some were too busy weaving carpets 

and thought their time was too precious to be wasted on 

health education, or the male in the family was reluctant 

to allow women to participate,” she says. “But this 

programme had a major advantage in that the health 

team consisted mainly of female doctors and the 

women’s immediate medical needs could be attended to. 

Each woman here today has brought either her own 

health problems or a child’s, and will be treated by one 

of the female doctors after the class.” 

This is good news for a country that is still struggling 

to rebuild itself and provide some sort of infrastructure 

for its people. But, until it does, it’s business as usual for 

the four doctors bravely travelling to some of 

Afghanistan’s remotest villages to meet the demands of 

people desperate for medical attention. 

WE ARE TRYING OUR 

BEST TO DO SOMETHING 

AND SOLVE OUR OWN 

PROBLEMS. WE ARE VERY 

HAPPY NOW AND HAVE 

IMPROVED OUR LIVES. 

THE MEN ARE VERY 

SURPRISED THAT WE 

HAVE MADE DECISIONS 

FOR OURSELVES 

Although we do not have a child sponsorship 

programme in Afghanistan, you can still support 

our work in the country by means of a donation. 

To do so, please call 01460 23 8000 or email 

commoncause@actionaid.org.uk quoting your 

supporter number or postcode. 



14 FIRST PERSON 

LICK CHILD POVERTY 15 

Lick child poverty 2004 

As part of ActionAid Week 2004, we will again be asking you to take 

action to help us Lick child poverty for children such as Anguri 

(below right). Friday 1 October is Action Day, and already we want 

to start getting you revved up with ideas and inspiration. So read on… 

ready… 

Meeting the 

community 

I support 

On a recent holiday in Guatemala, 

supporter Julia Mcgeown arranged 

to visit the village where her 

sponsored child lives. Here, Julia 

describes what it was like to meet 

the people she helps out from afar. 

It was to be the most memorable day of 

my trip. I had seen the beauty of traditional 

villages, the lush tropical valleys and the 

relaxing beaches. But I hadn’t seen true 

Guatemalan life: the everyday reality for poor 

people in a world without the basics of 

modern living. 

I was fortunate enough to have the 

opportunity to visit the village of the child I 

sponsor, accompanied by a member of 

ActionAid staff. It was a small village, a 

bumpy nine-hour drive from Guatemala City. 

What this community lacks in terms of 

material goods, they certainly make up for in 

terms of warmth and hospitality. The whole 

community wanted to thank ActionAid for all 

it is doing for them, so our visit had become 

something of a community event! 

The field was abuzz with children, 

parents and grandparents who all wanted 

to be involved in the introductions and 

speeches. Everyone valued each other’s 

opinion and there was a clear sense of 

community and team spirit. It was 

humbling to hear so many people 

expressing their heartfelt thanks to me as a 

representative of the sponsors, and I 

explained I would pass this information on. 

So a big thank you to everyone out there! 

The communities really do appreciate the 

support ActionAid gives, particularly as 

they have never had any help from any 

other aid agencies. As someone said – it is 

as if, finally, somebody out there cares. 

Rather than single out the child I sponsor, 

I met her along with all the other children 

who were eager to ask me questions and 

hear me speak English. We tried to teach 

each other basic greetings in our respective 

languages, but there was far too much 

hilarity – especially where my pronunciation 

was concerned! 

Before I left the village, I wanted to take a 

snapshot of the local children, but every 

time I got near, they ran away. The moment 

I turned around, they would come closer 

again. As more and more children heard the 

noise, they wanted in on the act! It seemed 

to underline how children the world over 

have an instinct for fun and laughter, as 

long as they are given that chance. 

Having seen the enthusiasm of the 

communities for current and potential 

ventures, and their involvement in the 

planning and organisation this requires, 

I really feel that, as sponsors, our small 

contribution really can make a difference 

to a great many lives. 

If a supporter wishes to visit the 

child they sponsor, we are delighted to 

be able to assist. We cannot fund any 

part of the visit, but we do have simple 

processes in place to help supporters 

make the most of their trip. We do 

request that sponsors do not attempt 

to visit projects unaccompanied. 

If you would like to know more, 

please call the development team 

on 01460 23 8000, or email 

developmentteam@actionaid.org.uk. 

JULIA MCGEOWN/ACTIONAID UK 

SOPHIA EVANS/NB PICTURES/ACTIONAID UK 

Ever fancied reliving your childhood? Throwing away your inhibitions 

and dressing up like a big kid for a day? Or forgetting your diet and 

guzzling on sweeties, cakes and lollipops instead? These are just some 

of the surprising things that thousands of people across the UK got up 

to last year in support of our Lick child poverty Action Day. Together, 

they raised an amazing £76,000 for our work with poor children in 

developing countries. This year we are looking for even more people to 

act the kid again so we can raise even more lolly. Can we count on you 

to be a big kid for ActionAid? 

steady… 

Already there’s plenty to get you started. Firstly, you can order a pack of 

our mouth-watering lollipops. Loads of people were happy to give a £1 

donation per lolly last year, which was a fantastic success! They are also 

a great fun way to spread the word about our work. Secondly, you can 

register for our Lick child poverty action pack, filled with ideas and 

suggestions on how you can raise funds. From arranging a Pop Idol 

event to holding a yo-yo competition…from school discos to fancy 

dress parties…from house-to-house and street collecting to major 

fundraising events…you’ll find it all in our action pack. We’re not leaving 

kids out either – we’ve got loads of fundraising suggestions just for 

them, plus interesting ideas and activities to help them understand what 

it’s like to be a child growing up in the developing world today. If you’re 

a teacher or youth leader, you can download lesson plans, classroom 

activities, photographs and fundraising suggestions from our website. 

Just visit www.lickchildpoverty.org and click on ‘education materials’. 

…go! 

What are you waiting for? Whatever you 

want to do, we have the action pack for 

you. Children all over the world, just like 

Anguri, will be glad you chose to help. 

Please call 01460 23 8000, 

email lcp@actionaid.org.uk or visit 

www.lickchildpoverty.org for 

more information. 

JENNY MATTHEWS/NETWORK/ACTIONAID UK 

CASE STUDY 

Seven-year-old Anguri 

lives in the slums of Dhumankhel in 

Kathmandu. She and her family live 

hand to mouth, scavenging rubbish and 

scraps from the enormous rubbish tip 

near their cramped two-room home. 

Her father earns less than £1 a day, and 

with this he must feed and support his 

family. He cannot afford to send Anguri 

or her brothers and sisters to school. 

All over the world, poverty denies 

children like Anguri their basic rights 

to shelter, education, healthcare, safety 

and the simple freedom of just being 

a child. 

THE FULL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.ACTIONAID.ORG.UK 



16 FUNDRAISING 

FUNDRAISING 17 

NATIONAL 

LOCAL 

ACTIVE 

PRIORITY PROJECTS 

March’s 24 hour coffee break was a resounding success, with over 

1,400 events taking place in schools, homes, companies, hotels, 

coffee shops, council offices and even a radio station! Coffee and 

chocolate lovers around the UK participated in Fairtrade breakfasts, 

coffee mornings, quizzes and bring & buy sales to raise pots of 

money and highlight the effect of unfair trading rules on poor farmers. 

Karen Harrison (pictured), of Guernsey ActionAid supporter group, 

once again opened her house for 24 hour coffee break and raised a 

magnificent £1,487. Karen says: “The guests don’t all come at once – 

we start at about 10am and carry on until they stop!” 

We launched 2004’s 24 hour coffee break with a celebration at 

the Ghana High Commission – for more details, see page six. 

Breaking the 

chains of poverty 

Do you have any broken or unwanted 

gold or silver chains, bracelets, earrings 

or rings? All over the country, most 

people have some old jewellery hanging 

around and there’s not a lot they can do with it. It has 

little or no value to the owner, but most find it impossible to actually 

throw it away. Sent to ActionAid, collected and recycled in bulk, 

your old jewellery could raise a great deal of funds for our work. 

JOHN O’NEILL/GUERNSEY PRESS 

New group success 

Congratulations to ActionAid’s newest fundraising group, who held 

their first event in December at the Broadmarsh centre, Nottingham. 

An ensemble of women’s voices, Mirabile, performed a selection of 

songs while volunteers collected donations. The event was a fantastic 

success, raising £160.71. 

Ripon Grammar School 

Ripon Grammar School nominated ActionAid for their charity week 

in October. The imaginative pupils organised a series of events 

including a slave auction, a Big Brother style pantomime and their 

very own Pop Idol contest. They raised £3,581.18 to fund water 

projects in some of the poorest areas of Pakistan. 

Calling Dorset supporters 

Do you want to be a founding member of the new Dorset ActionAid 

Supporter Group? If so, we’re looking for you! Our groups are the 

backbone of community fundraising and hold all types of events, 

both big and small. It’s very rewarding and is a great way to meet 

new people. If you are interested, call us today! 

ACTIONAID UK 

Sponsored head shave 

Jean Griffiths 

produced this 

fabulous ‘Mandela 

Shirt’ quilt and 

sold it at the 

signature gallery, 

Swansea, raising 

£255 for vital 

HIV/AIDS work. 

Staff at Reuters in Nottingham celebrated Christmas by holding a 

sponsored head shave! Two brave employees, Mike Peart and Mark 

Brodie, had their heads shaved in front of colleagues in return for 

donations. They earned ActionAid a grand total of £3,000. 

Flora Light Challenge 

for Women 

(London and Birmingham) 

5 September 2004 

Ladies unite! This 5km race offers a great day out 

and a modest challenge for women of all ages. The 

atmosphere is fun rather than competitive, and we’ll 

even pay your entry fee! 

Great North Run 

(Newcastle) 

26 September 2004 

We’ve filled all our places for this year’s 

Great North Run, but if you’ve got your own 

why not raise money for ActionAid? 

A different run 

altogether? 

There are many different marathons and runs held all over 

the UK and abroad. Call now and together we’ll find your ideal run! 

Flora London Marathon 

Huge thanks to our Flora London Marathon 2004 running team for 

their dedication and fundraising, it was a memorable day for all 

concerned. The cash is still coming in, but we look set to smash our 

£60,000 target! 

Parachuting 

No experience 

required! Raise the 

minimum sponsorship 

and you and your friends can 

jump for free! Request your 

information pack today. 

If you would like to know more about any of these 

events, find out what else we can offer you, or get 

the details of your nearest local supporter group, 

please call 01460 23 8047, visit www.actionaid.org.uk 

or email commoncause@actionaid.org.uk quoting 

your supporter number or postcode. 

Women of Chisec, 

northern Guatemala, 

are discriminated 

against for many 

reasons – for being 

female, for being 

Mayan, and for being 

poor. This priority 

project enables them to 

reduce the inequalities 

they face. Community 

gardens provide them 

with extra food for their 

families and for sale. 

Wider training 

opportunities in farming 

techniques, basic 

administration and 

midwifery are also 

provided. Strengthening 

of organisational skills 

and self-esteem helps 

the women become far 

more active in their 

communities. 

Seeds and tools have 

been purchased to 

establish fruit tree 

gardens, as well as 24 

head of cattle that give 

the women milk, meat and further calves to sell. As a result, 

diets will be significantly improved. The sale of excess produce 

provides additional income for other foods, medicine, clothes 

and children’s education. Four motorised corn mills mean far 

less time is spent preparing maize dough, enabling women to 

take advantage of further training courses. 

STEVE MORGAN/ACTIONAID UK 

WE HAVE LEARNT HOW TO 

VALUE OURSELVES AS WOMEN, 

TO LIKE OURSELVES AND TO 

SUPPORT OTHER WOMEN AS 

WELL AS OUR HUSBANDS, 

FAMILIES AND FRIENDS 

EMILIA SUCUP SIS 

If you, your friends, colleagues or family do have any, check it has 

a hallmark, wrap up well in paper (or use a padded envelope) and 

send to: ActionAid, Freepost (BS4868), Chard, Somerset TA20 1BR. 

Your broken chains can help mend lives. 

This is a highlight of just one of our priority projects. In order for 

us to continue to carry out work like this, we still urgently need 

further funding. If you would like to support these projects, please 

do get in touch today. 



18 GLOBAL LINKS 

MISCELLANEOUS 19 

Global Links 

These photos 

were taken 

by the 

children of 

Khalipathar, 

a village in 

Orissa, India, to 

show you what 

everyday life is like here. 

The photos feature on our brand 

new free website, 

www.globallinks.org.uk. 

This fantastic global citizenship 

resource for schools boasts 

videos, slide shows, games and 

much much more. 

ActionAid Recycling 

helps schoolchildren 

the world over 

Primary pupils in 

Char Kukri Mukri 

in Bangladesh 

benefit from 

ActionAid’s supplies 

The idea is simple: schools buy low-cost ink cartridges for their laser and inkjet 

printers, recycle their used ones, and the money raised goes towards buying basic 

school equipment urgently needed by the most disadvantaged children in the world. 

Graham Good, ActionAid Recycling’s operations manager, says: “Those who benefit 

don’t need the latest laptop or newest sports equipment. They just want the opportunity 

to go to school, to read and write and help alleviate the problems their family live with.” 

If you or your school would like to get involved, please phone 0845 3 100 200 

email recycling@aarecycling.org.uk, or visit www.actionaidrecycling.org.uk. 


Moving words 

Please help us keep in touch by letting us know if any 

of your details have changed or are due to change in the 

near future – whether you are moving house or 

emigrating, we would like to know. On the reverse of the 

address sheet there is a section just for this purpose, so 

please complete your new details and return it to us at 

ActionAid, Freepost BS4868, Chard, Somerset TA20 1BR. 

It couldn’t be simpler! 

Everyone’s a winner 

with Will Aid 

If you need to make or update an existing will, please 

do it through the Will Aid campaign this November. Will 

Aid 2004 is a great opportunity to get your affairs in order 

and, at the same time, help thousands of people across 

the world. Since the scheme began in 1988 it has raised 

over £4 million for charity. 

Through the scheme, a solicitor will draw up a basic 

will for free. You can then choose to make a donation to 

Will Aid, and the solicitor passes any donations on. All 

donations are shared between the nine Will Aid charities, 

of which ActionAid is one. 

For further information, call the hotline on 0870 

6060 239, visit www.willaid.org, or fill out the form on 

page two of this issue of Common Cause. 

It is aimed at seven to 14 yearolds 

and their teachers for use 

in geography, citizenship and 

PSHE lessons, and actively 

encourages users to ask 

questions, share ideas, vote on 

issues and take action. 

Visit 

www.globallinks.org.uk 

now! 

Christmas cards 

The sun may be shining, but we wanted to be early 

birds and let you know that our Christmas cards will 

soon be on sale, with four brand new designs as well as 

some old favourites! Keep an eye open for next issue, 

where you will find an order form and full details of 

how to order by phone, post or web. 

Sending flowers to 

someone special? 

Give Charity Flowers Direct a call 

and they will donate 15% of the 

value of your order to ActionAid. 

To order your flowers, call 

08705 300 600 and quote 

reference AID 10.

common cause - ActionAid

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